On Sun, 24 Nov 2013 14:14:00 -0500, "Mike Marlow"
wrote:

wrote:

Likely jet engine parts but certainly not the galley cabinets.


I'm still wondering about even the jet engine parts. Maybe those parts that
are laser cut, but I just cannot imagine machined parts to those tolerances.
I could be wrong as I said in the beginning, but if I am, I'm suitably
impressed.



Perhaps if the shuttle couldn't alter its trajectory (but orbital
mechanics aren't known to that precision, anyway - three body
problem). However, it does (did) have engines intended to make such
corrections.

And my experience with guided missles - which is very significant, makes me
believe they do not attempt to make corrections to this degree, even with
the shuttle. Hell, a gust of wind during flight would screw those
tolerances up by orders of magnatude.

Guided missiles and rockets are two different things. Nuclear
missiles are "ballistic" (even they are steerable), rockets, not so
much. You can't orbit an object in a ballistic trajectory. They
*have* be able to correct their trajectory. Not only does/did the
Shuttle have aerodynamic surfaces and steerable main engines for
atmospheric corrections, it has/had OMS engines and thrusters fore,
and aft, for extra atmospheric corrections.